Point guard Labaron Philon has long been projected to test the NBA Draft waters, and he announced today that he is going to do just that.
This is obviously a big loss for Alabama, but if he was going to end up in the draft either way, it’s better that he go all in now rather than forcing Oats to hold a spot for him until much later in the spring. Now the staff knows that they have an opening at the point, and there are eight more days to enter the portal. You can bet that some tampering has already started. We aren’t fans of that part of the modern college game, but that’s where the rules are and Alabama has lost players because of it.
The top point guard in the portal currently is 6’4” Xaivian Lee of Princeton, who has plenty of suitors already. If no other pure point guard is added, Aden Holloway will likely be the starter with Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Jalil Bethea serving as the secondary ballhandlers. You have to believe that Nate will be shopping the portal hard though, likely looking for some length to complement the diminutive Holloway.
Congratulations and best of luck to Labaron, and time for Preston Murphy to get to work.
Roll Tide
